Hail and Damaging Wind in Indiana, May 23, 1994

An upper level disturbance moved across northern Iowa during the afternoon. The upper level system was in part the result of convection that occurred the previous night across Nebraska. During the afternoon hours, the disturbance, in combination with an increasing low level jet and old outflow boundary from the previous evenings convection, set off a small cluster of thunderstorms. As the afternoon progressed, the outflow boundary from the new convection interacted with the low level jet and produced a line of storms. For the most part, the storms produced gusty winds of 35 to 50 mph and pea- to marble-size hail. Heavy rainfall also occurred. Even though one to two and one-half inches of rain fell in a short period of time, flooding was very minor due to the very dry soil conditions. The first report of severe weather came from Hamilton County, where a barn was blown over near Stratford. A short time later, a 64 mph wind gust was reported at the Waterloo Airport. The leading edge of the storms, actually the original cluster, moved into northeast Iowa and uprooted trees and downed several barns in Alamakee and Clayton Counties. As the storms moved through Clayton County, high winds tore through the town of Garnavillo. Several buildings received roof damage, a few were removed. The line later moved through Linn County and knocked over trees and several sheds. The roof was blown off of a house in Palo. By late afternoon the storm intensity had diminished. A couple small storms developed over southwest Iowa. Once the outflow boundary intersected with one of them, a cell merger occurred over Taylor County. The result was one inch diameter hail in Lenox. The storm dissipated a short time later however. As the thunderstorm passed over Warren County, a man was stuck by lightning on a golf course near Norwalk. He walked dazed into the clubhouse and had a cut on his forehead. He was taken to a local hospital and admitted in fair condition with a headache. In Madison County, lightning struck an historical church build in 1881. The bell tower was struck and toppled. Although not severe in nature, considerable crop damage was reported in Dallas County near Perry. Small hail accumulated to a depth of four inches in a 10 minute time span. Severe damage was reported on 200 acres of soybeans and 350 acres of corn. The screens were blown off of a farm house there by 50 mph winds, allowing the hail to accumulate inside the house.